JP question

[vmanmurph]

These guitars have the toggle switch right in the picking path. I see that many of you have this guitar. Is this easy to overcome. I play the front pickup quite a bit and could forsee problems with this setup. How long did it take you guys to adjust, or did you?
Thanks Frank

 

[heka313]

Well, my picking path is around the strings, and I don't move my hand much (vertically) when playing riffs or leads. If I'm strumming the strings I move my hand a bit towards the neck, so I have more space between piezo and pickup selector switches. The piezo switch placement has caused me some problems when doing harmonics with index finger (e.g. melody in "Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming" by Steve Morse)...

 

[TNT]

Yeah, once you get used to it you can be lightening quick on the pickup selection during a song!! As far as doing some heavy strumming - again technique needs to be aquired.

Any toggle switch location needs to be addressed with specific technique. Even on a Les Paul type, (you wouldn't think it gets in the way) however when doing right handed hammer ons you need to be carefull you don't accidently switch it. And also, some think it may be too far away for quick switching.

I'm pretty sure this is why Van Halen reversed the toggle selection (Les Paul style) on his later guitars so that the "bridge" pickup is on during the hammer ons and not the neck.

I prefer the JP and Axis locations all around, you'll get used it.

 

[straycat113]

I personally do not have a problem with it but will agree it is in a weird place. My friend Mike who bought his first 3 Balls this year-2 Lukes and a Silo skipped on a Petrucci which he wanted because of the placement of the toggle. But when you own multiple guitars you have to make adjustments to adapt to being comfortable playing each one, and some you dont buy if you feel you are not going to be able to be comfortable. I prefer knobs and switches as far away from the bridge as possible and just 2 pups, so on a lot of guitars that have 3 pups I sink the middle and on a Strat I remove the volume knob and pot which is a mod I copped from the late great Danny Gatton, but I do not like to do a mod that cannot be reversed.

 

[shredhed]

I takes time getting used to, but it is set to switch sort of diagonal. So if I do bump it while strumming it won't accidentally switch on me.

Hasn't been a problem

 

[roburado]

Like any choice it has its pros and cons. For JP, it works, because it facilitates quick changes of the pickups while he plays--like the way his idol Steve Morse does.

 

[73h Nils]

I think it's placed perfectly. It depends on if you have a really open-handed strumming technique, which I don't. Then I can see it being annoying.

 

[roburado]

I hit it on occasion, but usually it's not a problem.

 

[colinboy]

Yeah it takes abit of getting used to at the start but its great to be able to switch quickly when playing.

 

[walleye]

i occasionally hit the piezo switch when doing larger chord strumming. kind of annoying

 

[D.K.]

Weird, never had that problem with the piezo switch - it kinda stayed off the way all the time. One of the key actors could probably be how high you are playing it, and how far do you move your picking hand towards the neck when picking.

My take on this design is the switch is on the opposite side of the body from the picking hand, which makes hitting it just by chance almost impossible, but is not waaaay down and out (that would be the other option, but with a much longer bow for the hand to switch it).

 

[MikeVt]

I never had a problem with the switches on my regular JPs...but I am having a problem with the blade on the JPX. It's going to take some getting used to.

But as we all know, it's where JP wants it, not us - so it's up to us to adapt.

Mike

 

[D.K.]

Well, it's up to us not by a guitar we have to adapt to when we already have guitars that perfectly suit us...

 

[mikeller]

Seemed to be in my way for about the first 10 minutes after I bought mine, not since and like others, I find it rather handy!

 

[walleye]

Weird, never had that problem with the piezo switch - it kinda stayed off the way all the time. One of the key actors could probably be how high you are playing it, and how far do you move your picking hand towards the neck when picking.

youre right. its rare, but it happened twice in the same song at the exact same chord one gig. only times its ever happened.